In Reply to: W: Expectations posted by TheHappyBurgermeister on April 15, 2026 at 10:49:00
Yes to the first point, though context definitely matters. We tend to put a lot of weight on national championships, but even so, many of us found real joy in this WBB season—it would have been special and memorable with or without a banner.
As for the men’s side, I think most people on this board are pretty reasonable. What we’re really looking for is a sense that a championship is within reach at some point. I don’t think many of us have had true title expectations since the 2022–23 season. Looking ahead, Cronin will have some key pieces returning, but unless he adds players like Blackwell and Khamenia, it’s hard to realistically talk about a national championship. That said, we’ll all still be locked in and supporting.
As for the women making another run in our lifetime—I wouldn’t bet against it. It feels like Coach Close is building something real. I expect a strong team next year, with a solid core in Sienna, Bilic, Muse, and Kharamouzi. If they stay together, it’ll be exciting to see what they grow into by their senior years. One advantage this group has is that they’ve seen the blueprint up close—they were there as Lauren, Kiki, and Gabs developed, added key pieces, and ultimately won it all. You’d hope that experience fuels the same level of commitment moving forward.
The other thing I really like about the UCLA WBB program is that they have been able to get legitimate NIL dollars. Take a look at all the advertising gigs these young ladies have had over the last two years. Not many programs are doing that.